tereft of that holy religion which Chrift Jefus came down from heaven to establish upon the earth, will eafily be perfuaded to think, that all endeavours poffible ought to be used, to stem the torrent of wickedness that has broken in upon us, and to prevent the mischievous effects of those public diver. fions, which the generality of people are grown fo fond of; I mean the mafquerades and plays; thofe feminaries of vice and irreligion, where every thing is contrived to inflame the paffions, and corrupt the tender minds of young perfons, and which, I am perfuaded, have greatly contributed to that general neglect of God and religion, which is fo vifible among us.

Whether any thing that is here offered, will be effectual to draw men off from the love of thofe deceitful vanities, I cannot fay: but fure I am, (if the scripture is to be the rule of our practice, as most undoubtedly it is) it must be the duty of every one, not only to take care that he gives no encouragement by his example, to these licentious and infnaring entertainments (to which I doubt not but many owe their fatal

mifcarriages,) but to do what in him lies, to diffuade others, efpecially thofe under his care, from reforting to places of fo much danger and infection.

It must be confeffed, that it is no eafy matter to prevail on thofe who are carried away by the falfe maxims and practices of a corrupt and debauched world, to abandon their fenfual gratifications, for the more refined pleasures of virtue and religion: However, the difficulty of the work fhould not discourage any one from attempting it. I have therefore endeavoured, according to my ability, to lay before the reader the advantages attending a good life; in hopes, that whoever feriously confiders what is here faid, will be convinced, that there is no pleasure to be compared with that of a good confcience; and that religion really is, what it was defigned by the great Author of it to be, the only folid foundation of our prefent, as well as future happiness.

I am fenfible, that what is here offered, hath been with much greater advantage inculcated in many of thofe excellens dif

courses, which are already extant: yet when I confider how much good has been done by these small tracts, which have been printed and difperfed of late years, I am encou raged to hope that this little treatise may be of fome fervice; at least, to check that prodigious thirst after fenfual pleasures, which feems to be the disease of the present age, and which muft undoubtedly destroy the love of God, wherever it prevails.

I have added fome prayers at the end of this book, not with an intention to prescribe to any one, but to affift those that are not furnished with better helps; well knowing how important a duty Prayer is, and how highly neceffary it is for every good chriftian

be frequent in his addreffes to the throne efgrace, if ever he expects the favour of God, and hopes to find grace to help in time of need.

May God of his great goodnefs give a bleffing to thefe weak endeavours, and make them inftrumental to his glory, and the good of fouls!

THE

GREAT IMPORTANCE

OF A

RELIGIOUS LIFE

CHAP. I.

"WHAT muft I do to be saved?” was a queftion, which the trembling and astonished jailer put to Paul and Silas, when he faw the prison doors opened in a miraculous manner: a question of the utmost moment and importance, and which it nearly concerns us all to be well refolved in. For, if there be a life after this, and we do not die like the "beasts that perish;" if death does not put a final period to our beings; but

when this fhort life is ended, we enter upon the regions of eternity, and fhall be forever happy or miferable, according as we demean ourselves in this fhort time of trial and pro bation If this be the ftate and condition of mankind (as the voice of reason, the dictates of conscience, and the holy fcriptures, do loudly proclaim it is) how does it behove every one of us to inquire, what we must do to attain everlasting life; and to confi der, whether we are in the way that leads to heaven and happiness? or, if we have been fo unhappy as to wander out of it, how we may recover ourselves and return to it again.

This is an inquiry which deferves our ut moft diligence and attention. For if we are ignorant of the will of God, or, knowing it, will not follow or be led by that unerring light, but fuffer ourselves to be hurried away by our unruly paffions in the pursuit of the things of this life; we are wretched and miferable, blind and naked, notwithstanding all our attainments; and we fhall one day be convinced to our forrow, that there is no folly like that of preferring things tem